Suction cleaning tool with floating and pressure nozzle



Juy 15, 1958 c. c. HURD 2,842,793

sucTIoN CLEANING Toor. WITH ELOATING AND PRESSURE NozzLE Filed May s,1955 4 sheets-sheet 1 llllzzlllfplll July 15, 1958 c. c. HURD 2,842,793

suoTIoN CLEANING Toor. WITH FLOATING AND PRESSURE NozzLE Filed May 5,1955 4 Sheets-,Sheet 2 C. C. HURD July 15, 1958 sUcTIoN CLEANING Toor.WITH FLOATING AND PRESSURE NozzLE I Filed Nay s, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 5July 15, 1958 c. c HURD 2,842,793

SUCTION CLEANING TOOL WITH FLOATING AND PRESSURE NOZZLE4 Filed May 3,1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 and United States Patent SUCTION CLEANING TOOLWITH FLOATING AND PRESSURE NOZZLE' Claud C. Hurd, North Canton, Ohio,assigner to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio Application May 3, 1955, Serial No. 505,692

10 Claims. (Cl. 15A-359) The present' invention relates to surfacecleaning tools adapted to be connected to suction. cleaners.

An. object of the invention is to provide a cleaning `tool having asurface cleaning means, supporting wheels and a propelling handle thelatter being movable to different angularly spaced positions forarrangement coaxially of or offset to the rotational axis of the wheelswhereby the cleaning means either lloat with respect to the surfacebeing cleaned or the handle propelling forces are transmitted theretoand theV surface to be cleaned. Another object is to provide a cleaningtool having a propelling wand adapted to 'be connected to a source ofsuction and movable relative to the supporting wheels to transmit theforces applied to the wand either to the surface cleaning means or thewheels', whereby the cleaning means is pressed against or iloats withrespect to the surface being cleaned. A further object is to provide acleaning tool. having two spaced nozzles, supporting wheels and apropelling handle, the latter movable to different positions withrespect to the wheels and nozzles to transmit the forces applied to thehandle to one of the nozzles to press it against the surface to becleaned, or transmit the forces to the wheels whereby the other nozzlefloats with respect to the surface. Other objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from the following descriptionanddrawings wherein z' Figure l isV a top plan .view partly' in section ofone `embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a section alongV the line 2-2`in Figure 1 showing the handlecoaxial with the supporting wheels and the operating nozzle oating withrespect to the surface,

Figure 3 is a similar view but taken along the line 3-3 of Figure `1, n

Figure 4 is a sectional View showing the handle in another position andollset with respect to the wheel axis to apply pressure to the operatingnozzle and thus' the surface to be cleaned,

uFigure 5 is a section along the line S-S in Figure 1 v Figure 6 is apartial top plan view" of another embodiment of the invention takenalong the line 6-6 of Fig- Vure 7,

Figure 7 is a 4side view partly in. section. showing the handle. pivotedabout the axis of the supporting lwheels to arrange the operating nozzlefor free movement relative to the surface,

Figure 8' is a section along4 the line 8-8 of Figure 7,

`Figure 9 is a section along the line 9 9' of. Figure 7,

Figure 1.0 is a side view partly in section showing the handle pivotoffset from the wheel axis to apply handle propellingY forces directlyto the operating nozzle to positively press the latter against thesurface. to be cleaned.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures .h to 5 comprises abody 10 formed respectively from upper and lower portions 11 and 12secured together by screws` 13 and cooperating 'toy forma floatingnozzle 14 2,842,793 Patented July 15, 1958 ice is a pin 23 pivotallymounted at 24 between the body portions 11:--12 to rotatablyV supportthe air conducting member 21. Formed between the body sections 11.-12and extending from the floating nozzle 14 are two air passageways 25adapted to be connected to a pair of inlet openings 26 formed in thewall of the member 21. Extending from each pressure nozzle 17 is an airpassagewayY 27 also adapted to be connected to the inlets 26. V'Iliesocket 28 in the member 21 provides an air outlet and attached theretois a rigid wand 29, which acts as a propelling handle, connected with anunshownhose of a suction cleaner to thereby conduct dirt laden air tothe latter in a well known manner. The handle 29 is adapted to be movedin the space 30 between the pressure nozzle sections 17 when the wand isbeing movedv through one of its operating ranges as viewed in Figures lVand 2 t'o place the' inlet openings 26 in register with the floatingnozzle 14 for connection to the source of suction, and the solid wallportion` of the member 21 opposite the openings 26 forms a valve 31 toclose the pressure nozzle air passageways 27 to the source of suction.The upper surface of the body portion 11 is. recessed at 32 toaccommodate the handle 29 when the latter is moved to the left as shownin Figure 4.

Qooperating with the rearv wall of the floating. nozzle 14 is a member33 forming' a brush housing. 34 in which is. disposed a iloating brush35 having bristles 36 set in a back 37.` A pair of compression springs3S urge the bristles outwardly of the housing 34 beyond the nozzle lip15 for resilient engagement with the surface 39 to be cleaned. A pair oflugs 40` on the brush. back 37 engage pins 4I on the nozzle rear wall tolimit-the outward projection of the bristles 36 as shown in Figure 2.The brush 35 is maintained in retracted inoperative position by a springlat-ch 42 provided with a detent 43 engageable with a projection 4'4 onVthe brush back 37 as shown in Figure 3.

A pair of wheels 45 are each rotatably mounted on a pin 46 at one cornerof a triangularly shaped wheel supporting plate 47 the latter beingjournaled on a pin 48 ixed. to the body 10 vertically beneath the handlepivot pins 23 at the opposite ends of the vT-shaped member 21. Rigdlymounted on each pivot pin 23 is a cam` plate 49 having a cam. slotdivided intoY a floating nozzle portion `51I anda pressure nozzleportion 52 for the reception of a pin 53 secured to the wheel supportingplate 47' whereby the wheels 45 may be displaced with respect to thehandle pivots 23. t

When it isr desired to clean a surface having lightly embedded dirt thefloating nozzle 14 is used and is placed in operative'position by movingthe heandle 29 to the right of a vertical planey passing the handlepivot pins 23 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Such movement of the handlerotates the T-shaped member 21 to align the air inlet openings 26 withthe air passageways 25, whereby dirt laden. air removed from the carpetis conveyed from the nozzle 14 to the handle 2,9V and then to thesuction cleaner which. collects the dirt prior to discharging the airto' atmosphere. When the handley is in this position thevalves 31 closeoil the air passageways 27 to prevent passage of air through thepressure nozzles 17 to the source of. suction. During oscillatingmovement of the handle 29 in this operating range, the cam portions 51receive the pins 53 which maintain the wheels 45 coaxial .form a unitarypart of the handle. 'cludes a lever 77 supported on a pin 78 in abracket '79 mounted on the links 69. A locking pin 80 is supwith thehandle pivots 23 whereby the forces applied to the handle aretransmitted directly to the wheels 45 and tracted and locked out ofcontact with the surface by vmeans of the spring latch 42 as shown inFigure 3.

v When it is desired to scrub floors or clean carpets hav ing deeplyembedded dirt the pressure nozzles 17 are fused and the handle 29 ismoved to another operating range at the left of a vertical plane passingthrough the handle pivot 23. Movement of the handle 29 to its pres-;sure cleaning operating position causes the valve 31 to close off theair passageways 25 and to connect the .nozzles 17 and air passageways 27with the wand 29 and thus the source of suction. During such movement ofthe handle 29 the cam plates 49 are rotated counter- 'clockwise causingthe pins 53 to enter the pressure cam slots 52 to shift the wheels aboutthe pins 48 to thereby Ydisplace the wheels 45 offset to the left of thehandle pivots 23 as shown in Figure 4. In this position of the Vwheels45 all the forces applied to the handle are transfmitted to the pins 23and thus to the pressure nozzles 17 which dig into the surface tothereby dislodge the dirt and the latter is carried by the air streamthrough the air passageways 27 to the filter in the suction cleaner.,The handle 29 can be oscillated throughout its operating frange betweenthe recess 32 to the vertical plane.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 6 to comprises abody 55 having a floating nozzle 56 ,and a pressure nozzle 57 formedbetween two body por- `tions 58 and 59 which also cooperate to provideair pas- 'sageways 60 and 61 from the nozzles 56 and 57 respectively andterminating in a valve housing 62 provided with an upwardly projectingcoupling 63 to which a flexible hose 64 is removably connected. Attachedto the rear of the floating nozzle 56 is the resiliently supportedVbrush 35 described in the first embodiment, and the pres- ,sure nozzle57 is provided with a brush 65. `i A shaft 66 extends through thecentral portion of the valve housing 62 and is rotatably supported inspaced depending walls 67 between the nozzles 56-57. A wheel 68 isrotatably mounted on the opposite ends of the ,shaft 66 to support thecleaning tool on the surface 39 Nto be cleaned. Interposed between eachwheel 68 and the side walls 67 is a handle link 69 rigidly attached by aset screw 70 to the shaft 66. At the opposite end of each link 69 is arigidly secured pinA 71 on which is rotatably mounted the arms 72 of aU-shaped bail 73 terminating in a coupling 74 to which a Wand 75, form-`ing a handle, is attached and the hose 64 is also joined to thecoupling 74 to connect the valve housing 62 to the handle 75 and thus tothe source of suction.

In order to transmit the forces applied to the handle 75, when in theoperating position shown in Figure 7, directly to the wheels 68 so thatthe nozzle 56 will float with respect to the surface 39 a latch 76 isprovided to lock the handle 75 to the links 69 whereby the latter Thelatch 76 in- :84 of the bail arms adjacent the openings 82 are cammed`inwardly toward the side walls 67 to initially engage the end of thelocking pins 80 to move the latter outwardly to allow the bail arms topass thereunder prior to' the Vshown in Figure l0.

. 4 v pins entering the openings 82 to lock the links 69 to the handle75.

In order to release the links 69 from the handle 75 a latch release 85is provided and comprises a leaf spring 86 riveted at 87 to the bodyside walls 67 and has an olset resilient cam 88v engageable with alateral arm 89 on the latch levers 77 to rotate the latter and removethe locking pins 80 from the openings 82 in the handle bail arms. Atorsion spring 90 is arranged about the shaft 66 and is connected to thenozzle body and links 69 to at all times bias the lattercounterclockwise to the position shown in Figure 7. When the handle 75is in position as in Figure 7 and a downward force applied thereto, thelinks 69 are rotated counterclockwise causing the lever offset arms 89to engage the release cams 88 which pivot the levers 77 away from thelinks 69 to remove the locking pins 80 from the openings 82 to therebypermit relative movement between the handle 75 and the links 69.

A device is provided to transmit the handle -applied forces directly tothe pressure nozzle 57 when the handle is in another operating rangeshown in Figure 10, and includes a latch lever 92 pivoted on a pin 93supported on the top wall of the pressure nozzle 57. A torsion spring 94biases the lever 92 in a counterclockwise direction into engagement witha shoulder 95 on the links 69 to lock the latter against abutments 96 onthe pressure nozzle 57. Mounted on the bail arms 72 is a projection 97which when the handle is moved from the operating range indicated inFigure 10 engages the ends 98 of the levers 92 to rotate the latterclockwise and release the links 69 to allow relative movement of thelatter with respect to the body 55.

Disposed in the valve housing 62 is an arcuate shaped valve 99 rigidlyattached to the shaft 66 by a screw 100. Movement of the links 69 by thehandle 75 to the positions shown in Figures 7 and 10 respectively shiftthe valve 99 to connect the iloating noule 56 or pressure nozzle 57 withthe hose 64 and handle 73 and thus to the source of suction.

When it is desired to clean surfaces with the floating nozzle 56 thehandle is arranged in the position shown in Figure 7 for movementthrough one operating range. In this position'of the handle the lockingpins 80 are seated in the bail openings 82 to lock the handle to thelinks 69 whereby the handle and links rotate about the shaft 66 as aunit. The valve 99 is arranged to close the pressure nozzle airpassageway 61 and connect the floating nozzle 56 through its passageway60 to the hose 64 and handle 75 and thus to the source of suction,whereby the dirt dislodged from the surface 39 is conveyed to a filterin a well known manner. The forces applied to the handle in propellingthe tool over the surface 39 are transmitted to the shaft 66 and wheelsv68 and thus to the surface 39, whereby the nozzle 56 rests lightly onthe surface 39 and adjusts itself with respect to the different types ofpile by pivoting about the shaft 66.

In order to convert the tool for use of the pressure levers 77 to engagethe latch release cams 88 which pivot the levers 77 outwardly to removethe locking pins 80 Yfrom the openings 82 in the bail arms to therebyunlock Vthe handle 75 from the links 69. The handle 75 is then rotatedcounterclockwise about its pins 71 to displace the openings 82 from thelocking pins 80, and

.the links 69 are rotated clockwise about the shaft 66 to engage theshoulders 75 with the latch levers 92 as When the links 69 are locked inthis position they rest against the abutments 96 on the body above theVnozzle 57 and the handle 75 is free to pivot about the `pins 71 throughits operating range.

The valve 99 is also arranged as shown in Figure to close the oatingnozzle air passageway 60 and expose the pressure nozzle 57 to the hose64 and handle 75 and thus to the `source of suction for passage of dirtladen air to the filter in the 4suction cleaner.

The forces applied to the handle 75 in propelling the tool over thesurface are transmitted directly to the' pins 71, the links 69 and thusto the abutments 96 to cause-the nozzle 57 to press against the surfacebeing cleaned with a force substantially equal to that applied to thehandle to thereby remove the dirt from the surface.

To thereafter adapt the tool for use of the floating nozzle 56 thehandle 75 is rotated clockwise to move the projections 97 intoengagement with the latch 92 to disconnect. the latter from theshoulders 95 whereby the torsion springs 90 rotate the links 69counterclockwise to the position shown in Figure 7. The handle 75 isalso rotated clockwise about the pins 71 to bring the bail cams 84 intocontact with the end of the locking pins 8l) and raise the latter forfurther movement of the handle to place the openings 82 into alignmentwith the pins 60 for locking engagement with the latter.

While I have shown and described several embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that those embodiments are to be taken asillustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to belimited to the particular structure shown and described but to includeall equivalent variations except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. A cleaning tool for use with a suction cleaner comprising a bodyhaving a surface cleaning nozzle air inlet, surface engaging nozzlesupporting wheels, a propelling handle, means mounting said wheels onsaid nozzle body in spaced relation to said nozzle air inlet to supportthe latter, means mounting said handle on said body for pivotal movementbetween two angularly spaced operating ranges of pivotal movement, andmechanism connecting said handle and a supporting wheel and shifted todifferent operating positions relative to said supporting wheel bymovement of said handle between said operating ranges, said handle whenin one range shifting said mechanism to transmit propelling forcesapplied to said handle to the axis of rotation of said wheels, and saidhandle when in another range shifting said mechanism to transmitpropelling forces applied to said handle to said nozzle body at a pointoffset from the axis of rotation of said wheels.

2. A cleaning tool for use with suction cleaners and having cleaningnozzle means adapted to tioat with respect to or be forced against asurface to be cleaned at the will of the operator and comprising a bodyhaving cleaning nozzle means, supporting wheels, a propelling handle,mechanism attaching said handle and said wheels to said body formovement relative to each other and including means connecting saidhandle to the wheel axis actuated by movement of said handle between twoangularly separated propelling positions for arranging the handle axisin offset relation to the wheel axis when said handle is in one of itspositions, and for positioning said wheel axis and handle axis coaxialin the other of said sandle positions, whereby the propelling forcesapplied to said handle when in said one position are transmitted to saidnozzle body and when in said other position the propelling forces areapplied to said wheel axis.

3. A cleaning tool for use with a suction cleaner comprising a bodyhaving a surface cleaning nozzle air inlet, surface engaging nozzlesupporting wheels, a propelling handle, means mounting said handle andwheels on said body including a mechanism for mounting said handle forpivotal movement into angular propelling positions on opposite sides ofthe vertical position of said handle, and mechanism connecting saidhandle and a supporting wheel 'and shifted to different operatingpositions relative to said supporting wheel in response to movement ofsaid handle to one of said positions for transmitting propelling forcesapplied to said handle directly to the axis of the supporting wheels,and said handle when in another angular position shifting said mechanismto transmit propelling forces to said nozzle body, whereby said nozzlefloats in said first handle position and is positively applied to thesurface being cleaned when said handle is in said other position.

4. A cleaning tool as described in claim 2, and said handle comprising apropelling wand` communicating with said nozzle and adapted to beconnected to a suction cleaner.

' 5. A cleaning tool as described in claim 3, and' said handlecomprising a propelling wand communicating with said nozzle and adaptedto be connected to a suction cleaner.

6. cleaning tool for use with a suction cleaner com.- prising a bodyhaving a surface cleaning nozzle air inlet, surface engaging nozzlesupporting wheels, a propelling handle, means mounting said handle andwheels on said body including a mechanism for mounting said handle forpivotal movement into angular propelling positions on opposite sides ofthe vertical position of said handle,

and mechanism connecting said Wheels with said handle and includingmeans movably mounted on said body and connected to said wheels andhandle and actuated in response to movement of said handle to one ofsaid positions to arrange said wheels for receiving the propelling forceapplied to -said handle, and to displace said wheels when said handle isin the other of said positions to transmit the propelling forces to saidbody, whereby said nozzle oats in said first handle position and ispositively applied to the surface being cleaned when said handle is insaid other position.

7. A cleaning tool for use with suction cleaners and having cleaningnozzle means adapted to oat with respect to or be forced against asurface to be cleaned at the will of the operator and comprising a body,supporting wheels, a propelling handle, means mounting said wheels onsaid body, means mounting said handle on said body for movement betweentwo angularly separated propelling positions, linkage means connectingsaid handle and a supporting wheel and actuated by said handle when inone position to transmit the forces applied to said handle directly tosaid wheels, and actuated by said handle when in its other position toengage said body to transmit said handle forces to said body, wherebypropelling forces applied to said handle when in said other position aretransmitted to said nozzle body and when in said one position thepropelling forces are applied to said wheel axis.

8. A cleaning tool for use with a suction cleaner comprising a bodyhaving spaced surface cleaning nozzles, a propelling handle, bodysupporting wheels, means mounting said wheels on said body between saidnozzles for relative movement therebetween, means mounting said handleon said body for pivotal movement between two angularly spacedpropelling ranges of pivotal movement, and mechanism connecting saidhandle and a supporting wheel and shifted to different operatingpositions relative to said supporting wheel by movement of said handlebetween Vsaid propelling ranges for transmitting propelling forcesapplied to said handle when in one poistion to the axis of said wheelswhereby one of said nozzles floats with respect to the surface beingcleaned, and for transmitting propelling forces applied to said handlewhen in another position at a point offset from the axis of rotation ofsaid wheels in the direction of the other nozzle to positively force thelatter against the surface being cleaned.

9. A cleaning tool for use with a suction cleaner cornprising a bodyhaving spaced surface cleaning nozzles, body supporting wheels, apropelling handle, mechanism attaching said handle and said wheels tosaid body for movement relative to each other and including meansconnecting said handle and a lsupporting wheel and shifted to dierentoperating positions relative to said supporting wheel by movement ofsaid handle between two angularly separated propelling positions forarranging the handle axis in offset relation to the wheel axis when saidhandle is in one of its positions to transmit the propelling force thenapplied to lsaid handle to one of said cleaning nozzles, and forpositioning said wheel axis and handle axis coaxial in the other of saidhandle position to transmit the handle propelling forces to said wheelaxis whereby the other of said nozzles floats with respect to thesurface being cleaned.

` 10. A cleaning tool as described in claim 9, and said handlecomprising a propelling wand adapted to be connected to a suctioncleaner, and valve means operated by said wand when in its differentpositions to selectively connect each of said nozzles to the suctioncleaner.

1 p References Cited n the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

